A Family Secret
by Shnee
Summary: Lyra has lived with her mother Amy in a small cottage in Scotland for fourteen years without having many complications, until a stranger appears on their doorstep and shows Lyra she must accept her identity, she is a Black.
1. The Past

**A Family Secret**

I slammed my pen down on my desk and held my aching head in my hands. I felt my head throb in protest to the work I was putting it through, but I was adamant to prove mum wrong.

My mum had dared me to study non-stop for a week, and I was only allowed to stop for food, sleep and to visit the toilet. Of course I would never back down from a dare. So here I was, two o'clock in the afternoon of an almost unnaturally sunny day, cooped up in my stuffy room with the blinds and curtains shut and my floor and desk littered with study papers and books.

I glanced to the door to make sure mum wasn't about to jump in and catch me, and quietly walked over to the window. I sat down on the window seat and peeked through the blinds. I sighed heavily as I caught sight of mum talking animatedly with our next-door neighbour Mrs Green. Rather odd, isn't it? That the Black family lives next door to the Green family.

Mrs Green said something and mum burst into a fit of laughter. Mrs Green beamed at mum and said something else, which made mum laugh more.

I shook my head, trying to forget the fact that my mum was a weirdo, and looked about the garden. Mum must have been hanging out the washing, because half our washing was flapping gently in the breeze, while the rest of it lay in a crumpled heap in the washing basket.

My black cat, Pancakes, was sneaking around the back shed, narrowing her eyes at possible prey. There was a blissful silence and the only sound was the chirping of the birds and the clicking of the crickets, until I heard a violent hiss and Pancakes returned from behind the shed, licking her lips wiith a slight bounce in her step.

I sighed again and looked back at mum. She had stopped talking to Mrs Green and was continuing with the washing. I needed out. I needed some fresh air. It had been five long days and it really annoyed me that mum was getting pleasure out of me being cooped up. She seemed much happier, and had more time to relax, I noticed that much. I even caught her chatting up a guy down the main street during the first couple of days, which really annoyed me.

Hours later, when I was absorbed in my studies and was lost completely in the world of Transfiguration, mum knocked on my door and waltzed in. She grinned down at me and I glared.

"Having fun?" She cooed merrily, flicking her bouncy blonde bob out her shining hazel eyes.

I groaned and fell onto my desk, banging my head on my books.

"I'll take that as a yes," Mum beamed. "Dinner's out. I'll be nice tonight though, I think I'll give you the night off."

I grinned despite myself and cried, "Race you!" I leapt from my seat and bolted out the door and down the wooden staircase. It was several seconds before I heard the banging of mum's feet as she ran after me and her cries of delight as we acted like complete idiots.

I threw my arms in the air as I entered the kitchen and shouted, "I win!"

Mum appeared in the kitchen doorway, clutching her chest and panting slightly, "You cheated! You never gave me enough notice!"

I stuck my tongue out at her and sat myself in my seat, ready for dinner.

I loved days like these; the sort of days where mum was actually aware of how great she was. She doesn't talk about it much, but after dad left us when I was only three, she doesn't seem to see just how amazing a mum she is. Sometimes I think mum feels the need to flirt with guys, she thinks she needs a guy to complete her, or a father to fulfil my life, which is complete rubbish of course.

My dad, Reggie as mum liked to call him, was an all round cool guy as far as I can remember. At times he was just as unsure of himself as I always am. It's amazing that I can actually remember as much about dad as I can, considering how young I was when he left. I suppose the way mum talked about him every now and then, and the way he looked in photo albums helped kick-start my memory, because I remember what he looked like, how he acted, what he loved to call me, everything, as though he were still with me.

Mum doesn't like to talk about him much because it's too painful, but whenever she does talk about him, she is never mean towards him. She told me every detail about their relationship, and how dad made her happier than she had ever been, and how he completed her. It sounds stupid I know, but it made sense.

Apparently dad, coming from "The Noble and Most Ancient House of Black," was under a lot of pressure to become something he wasn't. Mum was a friend from school and helped him when his family upset him, and before long she realised she liked him as more than a friend. However, since mum is a muggle-born, dad's family hated her and him for associating with her. So he told his family he had nothing to do with her, and their relationship became secret.

When they left school, they got married in secret. More for the excitement of having a secret relationship than anything else. However, soon dad got mixed up in people he wasn't supposed to, and he knew mum was no longer safe with him. So he was going to break it off with her and get a divorce to keep her safe, but then mum found out she was pregnant with me and everything changed. From then on mum never existed, I never existed, and dad was single. But dad built us a secret house and paid for everything to keep us going. If he were daring enough, he would stay over with us. At one point, he stayed a whole month without anyone finding out.

I remember the night he left us. He came by and told mum he was leaving the people he hated and that they would go after him and kill him and us if they found out about us. Mum tried to convince him to stay but he was determind. So he left.

A couple of weeks later he was found dead. And with him went his money. So mum and I were poor with nowhere to stay.

For a while we lived in a hotel, and mum worked in the local bar to bring in money. Before long we had enough money to buy a cottage in mum's hometown in Scotland. When I was five, we moved into the cottage and mum started decorating and turning the cottage into a home.

When I was eleven I got my Hogwarts letter, but we both agreed that it would be better if mum tutored me at home so that no one found out about me and mum, just in case.

So here I was, seventeen and in my last year of home schooling with mum. I loved it. I had never been very good at socialising so not going to school and having only mum as a friend suited me fine.

"Can you pass the sauce?" I passed mum the sauce with a smile and sighed in happiness; sometimes people like Mrs Green took pity in me not having a father, but I enjoyed my life with mum and although a life with a dad would be just as good, I couldn't complain about anything.

"Josh was asking after you," Mum said casually, popping a carrot in her mouth.

"Oh right," I pretended to smile; Josh, Mrs Green's son, went to Hogwarts like every other average kid and apparently had a crush on me. I never saw how he could, as we never talked and never hung out and we were not friends.

"Lyra…he likes you…why don't you just give him a chance?" Mum asked me, giving me the puppy dog eyes.

I rolled my eyes and took a drink of my water, "Because I barely know him and because I only ever see him during the summer. What's the point?"

"Bertha told me today that he broke up with a perfectly nice girl," Mum continued. "He wrote to her the other day telling her. Apparently he just can't concentrate on his school work and can't bare to date other girls when he knows you're still back here."

I rolled my eyes again, "I know his type; he doesn't like me at all."

"Lyra Black! You don't know any types! You haven't ever been at school to know what his type is!" Mum laughed.

I shrugged and pushed away my empty plate, "Still, I can't be bothered with boys."

Mum rolled her eyes with a smile and started clearing away the dirty dishes, "How could I get landed with such a weird child? When I was your age I couldn't stop thinking of boys."

"Oh don't I feel loved," I laughed and walked over to help dry the dishes as mum washed them.

"Oh, sorry chicken," mum kissed me on the forehead and flicked her wet hands at me, splattering my face with dirty water.

I squealed. I dipped my hand in the sink and splashed mum back with water and she splashed me, until the dishes were abandoned and we were competing in a water fight.

"Mum! No! Have mercy!" I cried hysterically as mum stopped splashing me and started tickling me.

"Mwah ha ha!" Mum shouted in a mock evil laugh.

"Merlin you're weird!" I said between giggles.

"Ahem."

We both turned to look at the open back door with shocked faces to find Mrs Green smiling at us. I collected myself and wiped the suds off me and mum cleaned off her hands to meet Mrs Green.

"Bertha," Mum smiled warmly as she stood at the door. "Do you want to come in and have some tea? I'm afraid we've just finished dinner, but you could join us in pudding."

"Oh no I can't stay long Amy, dear," Mrs Green apologised. "I must get back and finish cleaning Josh's room; he's awfully messy you know. No, I got a rather unexpected visitor, 'fraid he got the wrong house and thought I'd bring him over just in case he got lost." Mrs Green winked at me, and I couldn't helping sniggering; our house and Mrs green's house were the only other houses for about five miles radius.

"Oh, right," Mum smiled nervously.

Mrs Green stepped back slightly and gestured to a tall gentleman behind her, "Amy this is, well, I'll let you introduce yourselves, you must already know each other anyway. I'll see you later Amy, Lyra."

With a smile and a nod, Mrs Green turned and walked swiftly back to her house. I looked back at the gentleman at the door with a look of puzzlement; he looked rather familiar.

Mum was gazing in awe at him, and was apparently unable to say anything. The man had black hair that fell over his hypnotising grey eyes in a very nice way, and he had a few scars across his face. He looked rather pale, however, like he hadn't seen daylight in years. His face was thin and his body was lean, he smiled pathetically at mum and said, "Amy."

Mum covered her gaping mouth with her hand and grabbed my arm to keep her upright. "Mum?" I asked her, unsurely. "Are you alright?"

"S…Sirius…" Mum stuttered.

"I'm sorry I had to just turn up on your doorstep, but, well, I'm in a bit of a tight spot and I need help," The man named Sirius smiled gently at mum, who continued to gape back.

I cleared my throat and, seeing that mum wasn't going to say anything any time soon, I stepped forward and held out my hand, "I'm Lyra, Amy's daughter. Sorry, who are you?"

Sirius' sharp grey eyes turned to me and I felt myself squirm uncomfortably under his gaze. "Lyra?" He asked thoughtfully. He paused for a moment, before saying, "You look so like Regulus."

I gasped silently, my eyes bulging in shock as I lowered my hand. "You knew my dad?" I asked quietly.

Sirius chuckled slightly and smiled at me, "You could say that."

Mum cleared her throat and said, "Sirius, what are you doing here? I thought they put you in Azkaban?"

Sirius' eyes darkened and his face paled as he said solemnly, "You know what really happened, I take it?" Mum nodded. "Well, I escaped. Everyone's looking for me, I've yet to get in touch with Dumbledore, but until then it's better I lay low."

Mum gulped and nodded shakily, "Well then, you can stay here. I hope you don't mind sleeping on the couch because this cottage only has two rooms."

"No problem, I've slept in Azkaban, after all, so a couch would be luxury," Sirius smiled and mum actually smiled too.

"Come in," Mum walked round Sirius and closed the door behind him. "You already know this is Lyra. Lyra, this is, well, this is your uncle."

I gaped slightly, my face probably screamed that I didn't understand what was happening and that there was no way this man could be my uncle.

"B-but mum, you said all of dad's family were evil gits!" I looked back at mum.

I saw Sirius smile slightly in the corner of my eye but I ignored him. "I, er, well…I wasn't including Sirius. Sirius was your father's only brother and was practically banished from his family when he was sorted into Gryffindor. He's a good man, and your father looked up to him. Just, please let's talk about this later. Sirius, I don't suppose you have any things with you?"

Sirius shook his head and mum nodded firmly, "Well, I'll throw something together for you, I don't even want to know what Azkaban fed you but it obviously didn't do any good."

Mum walked to the cooker and started "throwing together" a meal for Sirius. She turned to me and said, "Ly can you show Sirius about? He'll be staying with us for a while so show him where everything is."

I stuttered a few times before sighing in frustration and stomping out the room, not caring if Sirius followed me.

I tree myself on my bed and glaed at my cloud covered ceiling. I let out a frustrated cry and turned over, slamming my face in my pillow.

"So this is you room?"

My head snapped up and I spun over to find that Sirius man standing in my doorway.


	2. The Wrong Words

**Chapter 2**

"**So this is your room?" **

**My head snapped up and I spun over to find that Sirius man standing in my doorway.**

Gingerly, I sat up on my bed and crossed my arms; feeling exposed. "Er…yeah…" I mumbled.

Sirius sank his hands deep in his robe pockets and nodded, observing the room. "How long have you and Amy lived here then?" He asked.

I shrugged, "Around fourteen years."

"Ah," He pouted his lips slightly as he processed this information, and I could tell he was finding it hard to keep up conversation. "You know Hogwarts is supposed to be up here in Scotland."

I rolled my eyes; could he be any more of a genius?

Sirius cleared his throat, obviously realising how stupid he sounded, "Well…how come you don't go to Hogwarts?"

I raised an eyebrow at him, "You really have to ask what the outcome would be if a Death Eater were to discover the traitor Regulus Black has a vulnerable family?"

"Ah," he said again. A sticky silence graced us with its company for what felt like hours, I yawned behind my hand and Sirius began to stutter, "So…er…do you…like Quidditch?"

I smiled at up at Sirius, and before I knew it, I was grinning. "Yes, actually. Mum doesn't like it because she fell off her broom of something when she was at school, but I love it."

Sirius grinned back, setting alight his usually pale face. "I was a Chaser for the Gryffindor Quidditch Team when I was your age. And my best friend James Potter was the best Seeker Hogwarts ever had," Sirius stated proudly.

I grinned back at him. "Sometimes I wish I went to Hogwarts," I sighed. "I could play for the school team."

Sirius shifted where he stood and said quietly, "I suppose there are some good things about staying at home. You get to be with your mum all the time, so that's good." He paused, a smile growing on his lips, "Also, you're not as likely to run off and get married to some idiot if you get home schooled."

I blushed to the extent of purple and sunk further into my duvet covers, "I would never do that. Boys aren't worth that much trouble."

Sirius grinned, "Just you wait. You should have seen your mother swooning over my little brother."

I pretended to puke over the side of my bed and Sirius laughed, "Are you telling me that you, a relation of The Sirius Black, is not interested in the opposite sex?"

I raised an eyebrow, "How is being related to you got anything to do with it?"

Sirius sniggered but stayed silent.

"Well," I continued, not really wanting to know the answer to my own question. "I suppose I better show you about the house. How long are you going to be staying?"

Sirius shrugged and followed me as I left the room and started walking down the cramped hallway. "I don't know really," He said. "Considering the whole wizarding world think I'm a raving, murderous lunatic, I think I better stay a while until the Ministry calms down. Although I want to go see Dumbledore and I hear the Minister is placing Dementors around Hogwarts so it might be tougher than I first thought."

"Why do you need to see Dumbledore anyway?" I asked, becoming interested.

"Well…" Sirius began. "You've heard of Harry Potter, right?"

I raised an eyebrow at him, "Everyone has."

"Right well, he's my godson," Sirius stated. "He's at Hogwarts, and I'd like to get a glimpse of him. I was supposed to get custody of him, but considering the circumstances when his parents died, well, you can understand why I never got to care for him. Also, I have business to take care of."

"Ah," Was all I said, as I got the feeling Sirius wasn't too keen to let on too many details. After all, I had only just met him, family or not.

I was showing Sirius about out tiny living room when mum called us back to the kitchen. She set out Sirius' dinner and handed me a bowl of ice cream.

"Ooh, thanks mum," I wriggled comfortably in my seat and began slurping the messy ice cream into my mouth, not caring if I looked stupid.

"Ly! You're female! Stop eating like a man!" mum scolded me, but she couldn't stop smiling.

"So, Lyra," Sirius began, sipping his pumpkin juice and turning to look at me. "How old are you?"

I licked my spoon and said, "Seventeen."

"Ah right," Sirius nodded. "Four years older than Harry."

I swallowed a large chunk of ice cream and coughed pathetically. Mum smiled at me.

"I don't suppose he knows the truth, does he, Sirius?" Mum asked, sadly.

Sirius shook his head and looked down at his food. I immediately felt sorry for him as he started swirling his mashed potatoes into a liquid.

"Erm…. Sirius?" I asked attentively.

"Mmhmm…?" He replied, not paying attention.

"Doesn't everyone think that you…well…betrayed Harry's parents?" I asked, though the second the sentence left my mouth I knew I should just shut up.

Sirius tensed slightly and said, "I never…betrayed my friends. I would never. Ever."

I ducked my head and pushed my empty bowl away from me. Mum took it silently and turned back to the sink so that she would have to see Sirius' face get any redder.

"Sirius, I didn't mean it like that," I began. "It's just, if the whole wizarding world think that, well…wouldn't Harry?"

Sirius paled and dropped his fork on his plate, "Er, thanks, Amy, but…I think I'll turn in early."

"No problem Sirius, the living room's just down the hall," Mum smiled comfortingly. Sirius nodded firmly, and with a small smile towards mum, he got to his feet and walked quickly from the room.

The second he was out of earshot, mum had a hold of my ear and was hauling me to my feet and over to the sink. She thrust a dishtowel in my face and growled, "Dry."

I sighed heavily and began drying the dishes mum handed me. "Nice going," Mum said bitterly. "He wont' speak for days now."

I glared at her, "Well considering I've only met the man and I'm trying to get a grasp on the situation, I think I did quite well. And if he cowers off into a corner for several months when someone pisses him off then he's just a big baby."

"Really nice, Ly," Mum hissed. "You don't know him like I do, Ly. He's one of the most loyal men I've ever met and the way you insulted him just there makes me so mad…"

"I never insulted him!" I shoved several forks into the cutlery drawer and slammed it shut. "I only stated a fact! I mean that's what I've heard about what happened!"

"Well that's not what happened," Mum told me, setting three more plates onto the drying rack for me.

"Then what did happen?" I demanded. "Since you've managed to conceal the fact that I have a perfectly nice uncle for seventeen years, why don't you tell the truth for once."

Mum dropped the dish she was cleaning and spun round to look at me, her hazel eyes turning a blazing amber as she glared at me.

"Don't you talk to me like that," She said quietly. "You have no idea how much pain I went through just to keep you alive. Half my life was a lie for your sake, so don't you talk to me about telling the truth. It doesn't make any difference in the end." Mum paused and, coming to a decision, she threw the wet cloth into the full sink and marched out the kitchen, leaving me to finish the dishes on my own.


	3. Bonding

Chapter 3 

I stared up at my ceiling, hoping the night might pass quickly. I heard mum walk down the corridor to get to her room and I felt like calling out to her when she never came in to kiss me goodnight. She always kissed me goodnight. No matter how many fights we had, she always came in before she went to bed to make up with me.

I gulped and felt my eyes water as she closed her bedroom door and the house fell into complete silence. If it weren't for the sounds of Sirius' soft snores coming from downstairs, I would have thought I was in the house alone.

I sighed and sat up in bed. I could see Pancakes' sparkling green eyes shine through the darkness and I smiled to myself.

All too soon, Pancakes' green eyes disappeared, and I knew I was officially the only being awake in the house. Slowly, so as not to make any noise, I crept out of bed and walked to the door. I peeked my head out and glanced up the corridor to the dead end, where mum's room was. Her door was closed, but her light was still on.

I opened the door further and crept out my room quietly, heading for the kitchen because, in a situation like this, I needed ice cream. The creaky staircase decided it would rather I was in bed and began squeaking until I was sure mum would come out and catch me.

I winced when my bare toes came in contact with the cold wooden floor at the bottom. I heard Sirius grunt in the living room and if I hadn't had any common sense then I would have thought he knew I wasn't in my bed.

When I got to the kitchen, I had the ice cream and a spoon out quicker than I could even say "ice cream". I sat myself down on one of the stools surrounding the centre work top and scooped a large chunk of chocolate ice cream straight into my mouth without a second thought.

I was in the middle of trying to fit the second scoop of ice cream into my mouth when I heard a door creak and a voice said, "I thought I heard you get up."

I gulped down the ice cream and closed the lid, but I was attacked by a brain freeze before I could think anymore. I hissed and rubbed my temples viciously to get rid of the sting.

"What are you doing up?" Sirius asked as he got out another spoon from the cutlery drawer and sat down next to me. He took the ice cream tub from me and opened the lid, scooping himself a rather large chunk of ice cream.

I watched, almost in awe, as Sirius threw the ice cream in his mouth and gulped it down quickly, not getting any brain freeze and, very unlike me, not spilling any down his pyjamas.

"Well?" He said, taking a smaller scoop from the tub and licking the spoon clean.

I gulped and wiped my chocolate mouth with the back of my sleeve, shamefully. "I couldn't sleep," I mumbled.

Sirius sent me a kind smile before swallowing another chunk of ice cream. He coughed a little, cleared his throat, and said, "I know how you feel. I haven't had a good night sleep in twelve years."

My eyebrows disappeared under my side fringe and I said, "You were in Azkaban for twelve years?"

Sirius grimaced at the mention of the horrible place and ate another scoop of ice cream.

Even though we were having a very serious conversation, I kept noticing that I was actually talking to someone who wasn't Scottish, and I found it rather hard not to pick up a bit of Sirius' accent, which made me smile slightly.

I sat and licked my spoon thoughtfully, before saying quietly, "No wonder you were sorted into Gryffindor, if you were brave enough to last twelve years in Azkaban."

"It wasn't a matter of whether I was brave enough, Lyra," Sirius told me seriously. "It was necessary. If I didn't stay alive then James and Lily would never be avenged."

"What?" I asked, feeling the curiosity grow inside me. "James and Lily, is that Harry's parents?" Sirius nodded. "So, is that what your business is? To avenge his parents?"

Sirius' brow furrowed and he frowned at me, "Peter Pettigrew. It's his fault James and Lily died, and it's his fault Harry grew up without his parents."

"And it's his fault you went to Azkaban," I pointed out.

Sirius smiled slightly, "You are so like Regulus."

I smiled up at Sirius and said, "What was he like?"

Sirius sighed and put another spoonful of ice cream into his mouth. He licked his lips, savouring the taste of the ice cream, before setting down the spoon and pushing away the tub. "He wasn't stupid, that's for sure," He began. "You're just as sharp as him. He would be so proud of you, Ly," Sirius smiled kindly at me and I felt my heart swell as I thought about Regulus, my father.

"We used to be so close when we were younger. Of course when I was sorted into Gryffindor and he was sorted into Slytherin things changed, and I still wished they hadn't; we missed so many years all because of silly houses. We were enemies for years, until I caught my cousins Bellatrix and Narcissa cursing him in the corridors. I stood up for him and we became friends again, in secret of course," Sirius added seriously. "If my family were to find out that Regulus didn't hate me with a burning passion he would be made an outcast too.

"Several months later, Regulus came to me for advice. He said he had met someone," Sirius' eyes sparkled and I grinned. "We were brothers again after that. Amy brought us together and soon Regulus would hang out with me and my friends instead of the low life Slytherins who didn't even like him. Until then I never realised just how amazing your father was. He was sharp, cunning, adventurous, he helped conjure most of the pranks that my friends and I planted on fellow students." I grinned despite myself as Sirius continued, "I think the only reason he was in Slytherin was because he was ambitious. Otherwise, he would have been in Gryffindor."

I sighed happily and picked up the tub. "I don't think we'll be needing this anymore," I said cheerily as I stashed it back in the fridge. I took Sirius' spoon and put both his and mine into the sink.

I sat back down next to Sirius and frowned, a question coming to mind, "Er…what shall I call you from now on? Since you're my uncle and all, should I call you Uncle Sirius? Or just, Sirius?"

Sirius grinned at me, "Sirius will do."

"Good, because Uncle Sirius sounds stupid," I stated, making Sirius laugh.

He sighed heavily and got to his feet, I followed him and he put his arm around my shoulders, "Well Ly, I think that when all this is over, you have to meet Harry. Whether he thinks I'm a murderer or not, I think you should meet him."

"Really?" I asked; for some reason, the idea of meeting not only The Harry Potter, but also Sirius' godson made my stomach flip with excitement.

"I don't see why not. You're mum could come too; she was very good friends with James when we were your age," Sirius smiled.

"I'd like to meet Harry," I said lightly as we passed into the living room. "What is he to me? A sort of cousin?"

Sirius shrugged, "I have no idea. well, g' night Lyra."

"G' night Sirius," I smiled and started up the wooden staircase.


	4. Diagon Alley

**A/N-I strongly advise all you readers to listen to This Kiss-Faith Hill when Lyra goes to Diagon Alley…makes the mood D**

I heard a knock on the door and I opened my eyes reluctantly to see Sirius enter my room with a tray of breakfast. "Morning, sleepy head," He grinned at me as he sat the tray on my bed side cabinet, and I once again noticed how his smile made him seem much younger.

"Morning," I grimaced as he opened the curtains and let the sun shine through. I rubbed my eyes with my bawled up fists and heaved the tray of food onto my lap. "Why are you so cheery this morning?"

Sirius grinned again and sat at the end of my bed, "Just thankful that I can actually see the daylight and breathe fresh air. I woke up this morning and I heard the most glorious thing to ever hit my eardrums."

"What was it?" I asked, not really listening as the pancakes, sausages and pumpkin juice Sirius made me were screaming for attention.

"Mrs Green mowing her lawn," Sirius sighed. "I've never been so happy to hear a lawn mower."

I laughed and choked on the pumpkin juice. "What day is it?" I asked, wiping my mouth with my pyjama sleeve.

"Saturday," Sirius began fiddling with the bottom of my duvet and I wriggled my toes under the sheets.

"Can we go to Diagon Alley today then?" I asked, slicing into the pancakes and feeling my mouth water as the butter melted onto the plate. "Obviously you could go as Snuffles, it's just that mum and I always go to Diagon Alley once every month. Mainly for the excitement of being among civilisation than anything else."

Sirius grinned and shrugged, "I suppose. Nobody's knows I'm an animagus so we should be okay."

"Good," I smiled at my uncle.

"Is she up yet?!" Mum shouted from downstairs.

"Yes!" Sirius called back. "She's been nagging about you all morning, you know," he told me.

I wrinkled my nose, "She tends to do that when she gets stressed. You would think most mums would just have a heart attack under such stress, but no!"

Sirius laughed, "Your mum's not _that_ bad." I raised an eyebrow at him. "Okay when we were your age she was a bit weird, a bit like you actually."

I swatted Sirius' arm, only making him laugh harder. "I am not weird! I have friends! The only friend mum has is Mrs Green!"

"She's got me!" Sirius stated, stealing a bit of bacon off my plate and earning a glare from me.

I rolled my eyes, "Are you female Sirius? No, I don't think so."

Sirius grinned.

I licked my lips and sat my cutlery on my now empty plate, "Thank you very much Sirius, that was delicious."

"Thanks," Sirius casually. "Your mum made it."

"I thought the bacon tasted familiar," I smiled.

"Right, come on! Out of bed!" Sirius pulled my duvet off me and I yelped when the cold air smothered my body.

"NoooOOoo!" I wailed and attempted to pull the covers back.

"No! Ly! Come on! Get ready! It's already eleven!" Sirius told me, trying to be mature, but as I had learned over the first three days of Sirius staying with us, Sirius was far from mature. I think that after getting out of Azkaban, Sirius was finally doing fun things that he never had the chance to do before he went in. On the second day of staying with us he spent the whole day making cookies for us and Mrs Green, and the way he squealed excitedly when the oven peeped, signalling that the cookies were ready, told me that Sirius had not had as much fun making cookies in his life.

"I know! Eleven!" I gasped in mock horror. "It should be against the law to be up this early!"

"Come on Ly!" Sirius whined, taking the tray and sitting it on the floor. "Don't make me sponge you."

I snorted, "Sponge me?! What in Merlin's name is that?"

Sirius grinned wickedly, "It's how I used to get James out of bed back at Hogwarts."

"Ah right," I nodded. "Well, there will be no need to sponge me, because if you even try to sponge me, I'll hex you into next century."

Sirius grinned and made for the bathroom. "Oh no you don't!" I warned him, pushing back my covers and clambering out of bed.

"Oh yes I do!" Sirius teased and ran into the bathroom.

Before I could protest, Sirius was tackling me with a soaking wet sponge and was laughing hysterically. "Sirius!" I shouted as he shoved the sponge in my face. I choked on the soapy water and grabbed the sponge from him.

I rung the sponge over his head and soaked Sirius' face with soapy water. "In your face! Sponge boy!" I mocked an evil laugh, grinning triumphantly and ran to the bathroom, where I ran the sponge under the tap again.

"Ly are you dressed yet?" Just as I was in mid-hurl, I spotted mum standing by the door with a frown on her face. "Sirius! You're supposed to be getting her up!"

"I am getting her up!" Sirius pointed at me. "She's out of bed isn't she?"

When mum noticed that both Sirius and I were soaked through, she rolled her eyes and walked out, muttering something like, "Kids…"

"Okay, it's safe to say I am now in your mum's bad books because of you," Sirius told me, as he began ringing out his dripping shirt.

I sniggered, "Terribly sorry uncle Sirius."

"Oi! Didn't we decide that sounded stupid?" Sirius demanded, the amusement evident in his voice.

I shrugged, "We did. But it's you who owns the name. Not me."

"Oh you're good…" Sirius grinned at me and headed for the door. "I'll check on you in about fifteen minutes. Be ready, or be square."

"Square?" I sniggered. "You do know that doesn't rhyme?"

"You are too like your mum for your own good," Sirius pretended to glare at me.

"I do try," I smiled sweetly.

"Right! Everyone line up!" Sirius called from the fireplace.

"Have you got everything Ly?" Mum asked me as she adjusted her jacket and threw her handbag over her shoulder.

"Yah…" I mumbled, not paying attention.

"Right, Bertha will be over in a couple of minutes."

"Wha?" I asked, dazed.

"Bertha's sister is getting married in two weeks so Bertha has talked to Dumbledore, and has organised for Josh to be excused from school for the wedding. He's meeting us at Diagon Alley to get some nice dress robes," Mum told me, her eyes dancing at the mention of Josh.

"Oh right," I replied, not really caring.

"You know, we haven't seen Josh in two years," mum told me conversationally, as though I didn't know that Josh had stayed the whole of last summer at a friend's house instead of coming home. That summer had been so quiet.

"Lyra?"

"Yah?" I turned to look at her as I heard a knock on the front door, which Sirius went to answer.

"Are you wearing eyeliner?" I blushed and shifted my weight from foot to foot sheepishly, determined not to look at mum. Mum beamed at me and then engulfed me in a hug, "My baby's finally becoming a woman!"

"Mum! Get off me!" I wrinkled my nose, mum stuck her tongue out at me and I stuck mine out at her as well.

"Since when do you wear eyeliner?" Mum sneered at me.

"Since…" I blushed and looked at the floor.

"Since?"

"Well…" I began. "I have Sirius' eyes, well, dad's eyes. And I've never really noticed them before. They're actually quite nice. So I borrowed some of your eyeliner, you know that charcoal stuff?" Mum nodded. "Well I tried it on to see if it would make my eyes more noticeable. But I don't think it looks nice."

"Rubbish my little duckling," Mum cooed, stroking my hair and acting as though Christmas had come early. "You look gorgeous. Josh will think so too."

I swatted her arm and straightened out my yellow halter neck top, feeling suddenly aware of myself. "I think I'll go get a jacket," I mumbled as I bolted upstairs before mum could protest.

I sighed happily as I descended the stairs, securing my denim jacket over my shoulders and grinning at mum's annoyed expression. "You know I was just about to comment on how girly you looked before you ruined your look," she told me sourly and helped straighten out my jacket.

"Why thank you mother," I grinned. "And the jacket doesn't ruin the outfit, denim goes with jeans, right?" I asked sarcastically.

"So Pettigrew set it all up?! I always saw him as an untrustworthy character I have to say but-Ah hello Amy! Lyra!" I spun round and grinned when I saw Mrs Green enter the living room with Sirius right behind her. "Charming young man you have here Amy, very nice."

I almost snorted out loud, but restrained myself when mum cast me a warning glance. "Thank you Bertha, he's my brother-in-law," mum told Mrs green, exchanging a look with Sirius, who smiled at her. I grinned despite myself when I realised that Sirius was right; mum did have him as a friend. And even though I was never there during their school days, I could tell by the way Sirius looked at mum that they had a history, and that he was thankful he knew my mum. I sighed happily; nothing could ruin these sorts of moments, I had the sudden urge to go get out my camera.

"Ahh, well that makes sense," Mrs Green smiled at me. "He has Lyra's eyes."

I grinned even wider.

"Right," Sirius rubbed his hands together. "Let's head, shall we?"

"You better transform now Sirius," Mum told Sirius, glancing at Mrs Green once before taking her place in the fire. I followed suit and mum put her arm around me to keep me close.

Sirius took a deep breath and closed his eyes tight, and just as I was about to witness him transform, mum had thrown the floo powder and I was thrown forward into another fireplace.

"Morning Miss Black."

My head snapped up and I grinned when I found myself in Flourish and Blotts book store. "Morning Archie," I waved at the young assistant behind the desk, who grinned back.

"Right," Mum adjusted her handbag again and dusted down her coat. "Oh Ly, you're all soot, clean yourself up before I help you."

I hurriedly pulled out my wand and cleaned off my clothes, thankful that mum gave me the option to do it myself. I heard the roar of the fire and turned back to the fireplace just in time to see Mrs Green and Snuffles appear.

"Come on Snuffles!" I patted my knees and made a face at Sirius, who wrinkled his nose and whined pathetically. "Come on boy! Let's go to the ice cream shop!"

At the mention of ice cream, Sirius leapt from Mrs Green's side and raced out the door. "Keep him under control, will you Ly?" Mum asked me with a snigger.

"Will do mum," I grinned. "I'll go get him, shall I meet you at the robes shop then?"

"Yes that will be fine," Mum smiled at me.

"Oh it's almost one o'clock!" Mrs Green exclaimed with a grin. "Josh should be arriving right about now."

I gulped and headed for the door before mum could haul me back.

"Snuffles!" I cupped my hands about my mouth and shouted down the main street, no with no luck. "Snuffles! You get back here of there will be no desert for you tonight!"

I heard a bark behind me and just as I turned round Sirius tried to jump on me. I gave him a stern face and he seemed to stop mid-leap. "That's better," I grinned approvingly at him, and he barked happily. "Now come on, we'll go to the ice cream shop last, mum wants us at the robes shops just now."

Snuffles whined, making me wince. "Don't give me that look!" I warned. "Come on."

I ruffled Snuffle's furry head and started walking towards the robes shop, feeling dread take over my body. I gulped as I pushed open the door and the bell rang merrily from above me, giving me a fright.

I felt Snuffles rub his head on my hand by my side and I smiled. I had no idea why I was so nervous; maybe it was because mum might make me try on something girly just for the sake of it. Or maybe I just knew that Josh would try something. After all, he had always been such an energetic kid, and I always grew tired of him after a while.

"Lyra! Over here!" I spotted mum by the changing rooms and I made to head over there, but the woman behind the counter cleared her throat and pointed to Snuffles.

"Go wait outside Snuffles, we won't be long," I told him sternly, and Snuffle whined. I raised an eyebrow at him and he barked at me. "Now would be nice," I told him, pretending to order him about, though I could tell he knew I was joking. Deciding to play along, Sirius stuck his tail between his legs and shuffled back outside, making me grin.

I nodded happily to the lady behind the counter and found mum and Mrs Green waiting patiently outside one of the changing rooms.

"Hello people," I clapped my hands behind my back and grinned down at mum and Mrs Green. They grinned up from their seats.

"Are you almost ready?!" Mrs Green called into the changing room.

I glanced quizzically from mum, to Mrs Green, to the closed changing room door, and then realisation hit me when a rather hoarse male voice called from within the changing rooms, "Just because I'm a guy doesn't mean I can get dressed at the speed of light mum!"

Mrs Green rolled her eyes and mouthed to mum, "Teenagers." Mum grinned, glancing at me.

I took a seat across from mum and Mrs Green and barely had enough time to collect myself when the changing room door swung open and a young man stepped out.

I almost gasped out loud, but restrained myself because mum would never let me live it down if I did. My eyes ran over the man before me and I felt my cheeks flush. Josh certainly had grown up since the last time I saw him. The hair that used to be an uninviting pale blonde was now a sandy brown that fell over his eyes naturally. Josh twitched his head to remove the hair from his bright amber eyes and I felt my knees go weak when he locked eyes with me and smiled slightly.

He nodded slightly at me, "Hello."

"……….Wha? Oh, hello…" I felt my face flush even more when I realised I had been staring non-stop at Josh, gaping, and had failed to hide my amazement. This definitely was not the Josh I knew from two summers ago. Two summers ago he had been lanky and skinny, and had never attracted my attention, but this Josh… I liked this Josh.

"What do you think of these Amy?" Mrs Green asked mum, knocking me out of my trance.

"Hmm," Mum nodded approvingly. "I like them, the design is very nice, although I don't think green is quite your colour, Josh."

Josh shrugged, "Just tell me what to wear and as long as it's decent I'll give it a try."

I felt my lips curl into a small smile and I pretended to cough to hide my embarrassment. Finally recovering and ignoring mum's mischievous winks, I observed the robes Mrs Green had chosen for Josh. They certainly were nice. They reminded me of the Hogwarts uniform I saw a couple of students wear at the beginning of the year. The top coating clipped together at the front and billowed down to Josh's feet and the sleeves were rather baggy, giving a rather elegant air to him.

Fifteen minutes later Josh tried on another set of robes, these ones were able to be taken off, revealing a rather well fitted tunic underneath and normal silk trousers. As Josh spun slowly on the spot, rolling his eyes and saying he felt like a girl, I gaped at what looked like muscle stretching through the fabric of the tunic and I gulped. It seemed Josh had recently taken up Quidditch.

"Er…mum," I stammered, getting up from my seat and tearing my eyes away from Josh's muscular body. "I think Snuffles might be a bit lonely, so I'm…I'm going to…to go keep him company."

Mum sniggered at me, "Alright, why don't you take him to the ice cream shop? He's been looking forward to that all day. Once your finished you could come back because I don't think we'll be finished any time soon."

I nodded dumbly and headed for the door, but not before hearing mum suggest to Josh, "Why don't you go with her?"

I growled under my breath and glanced up the main street, looking for Sirius. I spotted him down an alley way just across the street, chasing pigeons. I called him over and he barked merrily, I could tell he was smiling.

I knelt down as Sirius bounded over to me, letting the wind whisk his long fur over his face and lolling his tongue out his gaping mouth. I smiled and ruffled the rub on his head, and smiled even more when Sirius licked my face.

"Fancy going to the ice cream shop now?" I asked him.

Sirius barked, almost enthusiastically.

"Okay then, come on," I got to my feet and adjusted my bag on my shoulder and started walking towards the ice cream shop, with Sirius on my heels.

"Lyra!" I spun round and felt my heart speed up when I spotted Josh shutting the door to the robes shop and running after me. He grinned at me and fixed the satchel he had over his shoulder, "Hello stranger."

My heart fluttered and I stifled a sigh, "Hello."

"Mind if I come along too?" He asked delicately, as though he expected my answer to be no.

I glanced down to Sirius, who was glancing from Josh to me, a familiar twinkle in his eyes. "Er, yeah sure," I smiled and continued walking, Sirius trotting happily on my left and Josh sauntering on my right, his hands deep in his pockets and his hair falling over his eyes again.

"So, how've you been?" He asked me, trying to strike up conversation.

I shrugged, "Nothing much, mum's got me studying non-stop for my N.E.W.T.S and I can barely find time to just sit and realise that I'll be moving out in about a year."

"I know what you mean," Josh nodded. "Although I've been at Hogwarts for seven years and all I want to do is make up that time at home with mum; I've missed so much since being away. I mean look at you!" I looked down on myself, noticing Josh doing the same. "You're…" he struggled to find the words and I smiled. "You're all grown up," he smiled down at me and I noticed just how tall he was, almost a head taller. "You're not that scrawny little tomboy, who used to throw mud at me when I tried to talk."

I didn't know if he was trying to make me feel guilty, but I certainly didn't feel _that_ guilty. Maybe just a bit. "Sorry," I laughed. "But you have to admit that when you continuously chased after me, declaring your undying love for me, I am entitled to get a bit pissed off."

Sirius barked from beside me and I glanced down at him, giving him a questionable look. I turned back to Josh, who was blushing slightly and I felt my knees go weak.

"Well, I was just a kid," he tried to explain. "And you can't blame a guy for trying."

I smiled slightly.

Josh held the door to the ice cream shop open for me and I grinned at him. I looked down at Sirius and said, "I'll just go get you an ice cream then come back, okay?" he barked in reply.

"Wow," Josh nodded in approval. "He's well trained." I almost laughed. "How long have you had him? I don't remember you having a dog."

"Oh, just last month," I said lightly.

"Ah right," Josh turned to the pretty blonde behind the counter, whom I noticed was batting her lashes and swooning at Josh, making my blood boil. "Can I have a small vanilla cone and a large chocolate cone please," He asked the woman nicely, making her sigh pathetically.

"How did you know I wanted a large chocolate cone?" I raised an eyebrow at him.

Josh grinned mischievously, "You always got that when we were kids. I hope it hasn't changed since I last saw you?" I shook my head and he smiled again.

Josh reached into his back pocket and pulled out five galleons to pay for the ice cream and I swatted his arm, "Don't think you're paying for me!" I warned him, "I can pay for myself."

"I know," Josh smiled kindly at me and I felt my knees go again. Before I could do anything to stop him, Josh gave the woman the money, I mentally noted how the woman glared at me, and he handed me my cone. "Just eat the cone, Ly," Josh told me, taking my arm and steering me outside, and I could do nothing but let him take me.


	5. No One Really Leaves Us

**Listening To: I Don't Love You-My Chemical Romance, and Someone's Watching Over Me-Hilary Duff. I strongly advice you to listen to them in that order, nod makes it all worth while. **

A day in Diagon Alley with Josh wasn't as bad as I first thought it would be. For one thing, Josh didn't confess his love for me once, and I also found he was on the Quidditch team at Hogwarts, which I immediately envied him of.

I was happier than usual and couldn't stop smiling when Josh took my hand tenderly and helped me step into the fireplace in Madam Malkin's, and we headed home.

When we arrived in my living room I was met with a scene I was hoping I would never have to see. Ministry Aurors rushed past me in their urgency to scan the entire house and I felt my blood rush when I spotted a man upturning the couch and all of Sirius' belongings fell to the floor with a clatter.

"Excuse me!" I cried, stepping out of the fireplace and attacking the first man I saw. "What the hell are you doing?!"

"What's going on here?" Mum demanded from behind me. I felt Sirius' furry head nudge my side and I knew he knew why these men were here.

"Just doing our job miss," The man replied flatly. "Ask Mr Hill."

"Who?" I asked quizzically.

"Who called my name?!"

My head snapped to the left and I scanned the living room for the voice. A tall man emerged from the crowd of ministry officials and grinned down at me. "Ah, the owners I presume?"

"Yes," Mum stepped in front of me and I felt immediately small as her motherly instincts kicked in. "What in Merlin's name are you doing to my house and what gives you the right to invade my privacy?!"

Mr Hill plastered a plastic smile on his wrinkled face, he patted Sirius on the head and said lightly, "Nice dog." When silence greeted his statement, he smiled again and said delicately, as though talking to a three year old, "I have orders from the minister himself, any household that may have reason to be a possible lair for the criminal Sirius Black must be searched thoroughly with or without permission of the owner of the house. Civilian protection comes first ma'm."

I glared up at the man, "Well Sirius Black isn't here so you can all shove off!"

"Mrs Black please control your child, I'd rather not have to report her to the minister for abusive language to an innocent ministry official," Mr Hill said monotonously.

"Innocent ministry official my back side! And I'm seventeen! Hardly a child!" I spat.

"Ly!" Mum shot me a look that told me to butt out; mum was about to show her strict mum side and I didn't want to be on the other end of it.

"Now, Mr Hill," Mum turned to face Mr Hill, folding her arms across her chest protectively and staring meaningfully up at him. "What reasons do you have for invading my house and ruining my things, my day, and straight out pissing me off?"

I gazed up at my mother in awe, my mum rocked!

"Well Mrs _Black_," Mr Hill replied slowly, emphasising the word 'black' just to annoy mum. "As your husband had…er…been involved with such wanderings as Death Eaters and their beliefs, and of course the obvious fact that you are Sirius Black's sister-in-law, we believe you may be hiding the criminal in your household."

"My dad never believed any of that Death Eater rubbish!" I flared up, pushing past mum and standing as tall as I could in front of Mr Hill. "He was one of the bravest men I have ever known and you have no right to talk such shit! How dare you come here and say those things when you don't know anything!"

"Don't make me tell you again, Missy," Mr Hill spoke loudly, gaining the attention of everyone in the room. I noticed Josh and Mrs Green shuffle uncomfortably behind me and I felt sorry for them, having to witness this.

"Don't call me Missy," I growled.

"Ly, be quiet," Mum ordered, and I reluctantly obeyed, shrinking behind her and feeling my face grow hot with my anger. Mum stared straight into Mr Hill's eyes and said firmly, "Mr Hill, I am very well aware of my old acquaintances and of what that may suggest, but I give you my word that Sirius Black is not in my house. He never was and never will be, because to me he will always be a hateful murderer and I would rather take my own life before I let that snake step foot in my house. Especially after what he did to Lily and James." I found myself glaring at mum instead at Mr Hill; how could she say all this? Especially when she knew the truth!

"As for my ex- husband, well, I would rather not go too much into that topic, nasty subject if you ask me. The one successful thing I got out of my marriage to that horrid creature was Lyra, and I would rather you removed your men so she may not be angered further."

Mr Hill smirked, satisfied. He held out his hand and mum shook it. "You can call me Jordan," he smiled charmingly, making my brain flare and I wanted nothing more than to blast Jordan Hill to pieces. I noticed him surreptitiously slip a note into mum's hand while everyone wasn't looking, and then he nodded and called for his men to abandon everything and leave. A small part of me believed mum to be very powerful to be able to get those men out, but my opinion quickly changed and I had the urge to scream bloody murder at her. "How could you say those things?" I asked glared at her, noticing Mrs Green and Josh slipping out the back door and closing it behind them. I hardly cared, right now mum was all I saw and I felt my throat sting as I choked back a sob.

Mum shrugged and smirked, "I've had a lot of practise, after all, I need to if I want to keep our family unknown."

"You mean if you want to keep our reputation clean!" I fired up. "That's all you care about, isn't it?! You don't care about keeping a low profile! You are just too scared to stand up for everything dad meant to you!" I felt my jaw open and close as all those words spilled out and I felt my spirits flop. Mum frowned at me, but did nothing to stop me talking. "You say you have to lie but now you've got me thinking that you believe all this!" I threw my arms about and pointed at Sirius. "How can you say all those things about Sirius and not feel bad about yourself? And dad! I thought he was the one person who made you happy? Now he's a horrid creature?" I paused and felt my throat close up. "I don't think even I can see through your lies anymore, mum." I quickly wiped away a tear and walked upstairs, where I threw myself on my bed and hid under my covers.

I heard a knock on my door. I glanced at my clock, seeing it was six o'clock I assumed it must be mum telling me about dinner. Though I ignored her presence when she walked in.

"Ly, dinner's out," She told me sternly.

I buried my face deeper in my pillow and hoped she would just go away, but she didn't.

"Look, Ly, I didn't mean those things," Mum sighed, I felt the bed give and knew she was now sitting on the end of the bed. "You've got to believe me, because your opinion is all that ever matters to me, especially after your dad died."

I sniffed and tilted my head slightly to see mum better. She was looking at her clasped hands on her lap, her brow furrowed and her fingers shaking.

"You have no idea how much I miss him, Ly," She whispered. "It hurts to say his name, or even think about him. And you look so much like him that the when I see you every morning when you get up, I see Reg. And I don't want to.

"You have to believe me when I say that I never mean any of those things. I don't give a shit about my reputation; I just want to keep you safe. You're all I have now, Ly," Mum sniffed and made to get up, though pulled something from her pocket and sat it delicately next to my feet.

"I miss him," I spoke softly from under my covers. Mum looked down at me, startled that I was talking to her.

"I know you do," Mum replied. "Probably even more so now that Sirius is here, am I right?"

I nodded, sniffing. "He looks like him."

"I used to get their names mixed up," Mum smiled slightly, remembering some memory from her school days.

"I miss him so much, mum," I felt the damn finally break and I sobbed pathetically. Mum crawled over to me and engulfed me in a warm hug, stroking my hair adoringly and kissing my forehead.

"I know you do, Ly, I know," I could feel my hair become damp as mum's tears washed over me and I whimpered.

I took a deep breath and asked the one question that had always haunted me since dad's death, "Why did they have to take him?"

"It's just what happens, Ly, life isn't all fun and smiles. It can be horrible, dark, and sometimes deadly. I think everybody knew it was going to happen, we just couldn't do anything about it," Mum whispered. "But we can't dwell on the past," Mum told me with a shaky breath. "He would have wanted us to move on. After all, he's still with us. Maybe not like he used to be, but he's still there. Guarding us, protecting us, keeping Josh in line," Mum smiled when I let out a choked chuckle. "And I know he's proud of you, his little girl. You're everything he expected you to be as a person, and more."

I nodded pathetically, letting a smile creep onto my lips and wiping at my damp face with frustration. "You okay?" Mum titled her head to get a better look at me. I nodded and she reached up to fiddle with a lock of my hair, becoming lost in another memory. She sighed and stroked my cheek once before getting up and heading for the door, "Come down when you're ready."

I nodded with a smile and sighed. I had no idea why I made such a big fuss over that whole thing. I was stupid. I noticed the piece of paper still sitting at the end of the bed and picked it up:

_Jordan Hill_

_Senior Assistant _

_The Fortification Department _

_06798546235_

I sneered at the miniscule bit of paper and crumpled it up; like Jordan Hill could ever have a chance with my mum. We didn't need a man like him and we never would. After all, dad was still with us, you can't replace someone who is still there.


End file.
